Indoor positioning has many applications and is of commercial interest to many businesses. Additionally, many software applications on mobile devices, such as smartphones, use positioning data. Thus, a user's indoor experience with her device could be degraded where access to positioning data is limited.
Current technology has shortcomings for use in indoor positioning. For example, a Global Positioning System (GPS) does not work well indoors, and the accuracy of GPS is limited to several meters. Alternative approaches such as performing Observed Time Distance of Arrival (OTDOA) measurements using beacons transmitted from antennas placed on buildings have been considered, but tend to be expensive. Other solutions require the use of servers and in some instances the use of ad-hoc networks, but these solutions tend to have many limitations as well.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present teachings. In addition, the description and drawings do not necessarily require the order presented. It will be further appreciated that certain actions and/or steps may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required.
The apparatus and method components have been represented, where appropriate, by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present teachings so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.